It is desirable to use a retaining spring to hold the arrow or bolt in place on the crossbow handle or barrel when the bolt is placed on the bowstring and ready to fire. The purpose of the retaining spring is to keep the bolt from sliding away from the bowstring and/or from falling off of the crossbow barrel. Bolt-retaining springs of current design are subject to damage when a cocking aid is used to cock the crossbow. If the bowstring is attached incorrectly to the cocking aid, or if the angle of tension used to pull the cocking aid is incorrect, the bowstring will travel over rather then under the current retaining spring resulting in damage to the spring. A general object of the present disclosure is to provide a crossbow with a retaining spring configured to resist damage during cocking.
The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other.
A crossbow in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure includes a barrel having a bolt support surface, a forward end with at least one flexible limb, and a rearward end. A support on the barrel overlies at least a portion of the bolt support surface. A bolt retaining spring on the support extends toward the bolt support surface for holding a bolt on the support surface. The retaining spring extends from the support at a downward and rearward angle toward the bolt support surface and then at an upward and rearward angle to a free end between the bolt support surface and the support. The spring preferably is of one-piece construction having a first portion underlying and secured to the support, a second portion extending downwardly and rearwardly from a forward end of the first portion, and a third portion extending upwardly and rearwardly from the second portion and the bolt support surface. In one exemplary embodiment, the second and third portions are straight and joined to each other at an angle. In a second exemplary embodiment, the second and third portions are curved and joined to each other in an arc.